:help: Hi, just beginning the journey. I have been doing lots of research and am looking for a Doctor in or around Dallas, Texas. Has anyone had experience with Texas Lap Band Center? Also do you have to have a record of your weight for the past five years for Insurance? Any help will greatly by appreciated....TC

I went through AIGB--American Institute of Gastric Banding. They are in Richardson, which is a suburb of Dallas. 214-389-7430. They DID ALL OF THE INSURANCE WORK FOR ME!!!! All that I did was show up for the appointment. My insurance required 5 yrs of medical history. It can be from any doctor.

As a matter of fact, I only had 4 consecutive years from my PCP, so I got the 5th year from my OBGYN and it was accepted.

My doctor is Dr. Richard Benevides. 972-331-8100. He's GREAT!!!

Like Bigbaby, I used AIGB and Dr. Benavides. I couldn't ask for a better experience. Dr. B. and his staff are remarkable!

I live 110 miles south of Dallas and was thinking of using the center you mentioned. Once I checked with insurance and all of the red tape they required to even consider me in a year or so I researched the Mexico Option and decided to go with Dr. Jose Rodriguez in Acuna, mexico. The cost out of my pocket is about the same as going to weekly doctor's visits and a gym for a year.

My understanding is that Dr. Robert Powell has probably done more LAP-BANDs in the Dallas area than anyone else. He is not affiliated with AIGB ... his staff handles the insurance approval process from start to finish, and his aftercare program has a great reputation (critical to your long-term success).

Other options in the area: Dr. David Kim (North Richland Hills) and Dr. Nick Nicholson. All of these guys have phenomenal reputations and I'm told very good outcomes.

These are some good options -- look into each of them and see which one(s) might take your insurance.

Good luck!

:help: Hi, just beginning the journey. I have been doing lots of research and am looking for a Doctor in or around Dallas, Texas. Has anyone had experience with Texas Lap Band Center? Also do you have to have a record of your weight for the past five years for Insurance? Any help will greatly by appreciated....TC

Please Read Before Considering Dr. Spiegel

I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOO PISSED!!!!. I went to Dr. Spiegel's office (TEXAS LAP CENTER) on July 7th for my consultation and to submitt my paperwork with United Healthcare. I chose to go to him because he has performed over 6000 surgeries, despite some of the rumors that I have heard about him and his office. After going to the seminar, I was impressed with him and felt good about my decision to go there. I called a week later to see if they were needing any additional information from me such as previous doctors records and to see if they had heard anything, and I was told by my RUDE case worker Lulu that and I quote "I don't know the status of your case for I just submitted the information on July 12th and do not have time to stay on the phone and call the insurance companies for every patient that we have. But feel free to call UHC everyday if you would like!!!" I wanted in my heart to believe that she was just having a bad day............boy was I wrong! I decided to call my insurance co a week later on July 18th to check the status and was happy to find out that I HAD BEEN APPROVED!!! So I called Lulu to tell her so we could set up a surgery date and was told that they had to have a copy of the approval letter BEFORE they would schedule the appt.I was fine with that. So I waited and checked the mail every day and finally it came in on July 25th. I emailed the approval letter to her on July 26th and she forwarded it to Pam at their Houston office to schedule the surgery. Pam finally called me back at 1:00pm that day to schedule the appt. Great right??? WRONG!! It was then that I had learned that my information that had been sent to UHC to be approved had requested that the surgery be done at University General Hospital (a new hospital in Houston which Spiegel had raved about during his seminar) which was OUT OF NETWORK for me!!! They never asked me where I wanted the surgery to be done!!! I assumed that they would set it up with 12 Oaks which is the only In Network Hospital that he goes to!!! I was told to redo it so I could go to 12 Oaks that all of my paperwork would have to be resubmitted to UHC and could not tell me how long it would take!!! I AM SOOOO MAD!!! I call UHC to verify this and Pam was correct!!! I have left multiple voice mails for Pam to call me because I have questions and I have yet to hear from her. So I have decided that I am going to make me an appt with another doctor closer to home being that I live in Lake Charles. I just wanted to let anyone considering Spiegel to know what they would be getting themselves into before they wasted their time!!!If this is the way they are treating me know, how would they react if something were really wrong with me after I had the surgery. That is the question I asked myself and I figure that if I am going to have to wait for another approval that I will go to someone else.

Sorry so long just needed to vent!!!

I live in Arkansas and had surgery in Dec. '06. Is that too far away from Texas? If Arkansas does the band, I am sure there are doctors in your area who perform it as well. I did pay out of pocket though. Insurance can be an awful hassle!!!!!!!

Please Read Before Considering Dr. Spiegel

I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOO PISSED!!!!. I went to Dr. Spiegel's office (TEXAS LAP CENTER) on July 7th for my consultation ...

Lake Charles isn't far from Houston. You should consider checking out the doctors at JourneyLite of Houston. They are:

Dr. Matthew St. Laurent

Dr. Richard Collier

Dr. Bradley Waggoner

Dr. Ata Ahmad

I know them personally and they will take very good care of you. The aftercare program at JourneyLite is PHENOMENAL. I have friends that attend their support group and it isn't the typical support group where people get together and just share, whine, b*tch or moan. They actually do classes so that you modify your behavior and begin to change the way you think about and interact with food. The way I see it, if you do not change your behavior, NO weight-loss surgery will work. Check them out. 713-330-9000. I bet they can help.

Good Luck. I have had two employees of mine have great success with Dr. Richard Carter in Arlington and Hurst. carterlapband.com

I am having the band on Aug. 14.

Best of luck....

I highly recommend Dr. Curtis Mosier in Denton, Tx.

Excellent service, he seems to actually care, his coordinator is incredible, and prices aren't bad for the self-pay folks.

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